Column form and clamp assembly

ABSTRACT

A form usable to construct a concrete column is held in a closed position by a number of clamp assemblies surrounding the form. Each clamp assembly has two pairs of channel bars held in adjustable right angle relationship with a corner bracket unit. A single pivot joins one bar of each pair of bars together. A quick release connector holds the other bars of each pair of bars together.

0 United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,790,121

Sels et al. [45] F b, 5, 1974 COLUMN FORM AND CLAMP ASSEMBLY 1,852,823 4 1932 R008 269/123 2,753,902 7/1956 Klee 269/115 X [75] i wa|l Sels: Allied Paul both 3,066,962 12/1962 Koehler 269/111 x 0f Mmnealwlls, 2,380,379 7/1945 Attwood 287/189.36 c x 2,249,923 7/1941 Whitcombe 287/189.36 F [73] Asslgnee' gm white Mmneamhs 2,293,399 8/1942 Moecker 287/l89.36 F 1 2,588,818 3/1952 Franks 287/l89.36 C [22] Filed; Nov, 15, 1972 3,432,197 3/1969 Albertine 287/189.36 C

[21] Appl 306700 "1 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser 1 Related US. Application Data Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown v M p [62] Division of S61. N0. 145,333, May 30, 197-1, Pat. No. Attorney, Agent, or F i Braddock & tz

' 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 249/219 R, 249/48, 269/115 1 51 Int. Cl. 1304;; 13/02 A form "Sable Comm 8 011mm column 18 held [58] Field of searchm" 249/26 27, 32, 48 49 194, in a closed position by a number of clamp assemblies 249/195, 219 269/1114; 287/54 B surrounding the form. Each clamp assembly has two 18936 C pairs of channel bars held in adjustable right angle relationship with a comer bracket unit. A single pivot 5 Rafa-em Cited joins one bar of each pair of bars together. A quick UNITED STATES PATENTS release connector holds the other bars of each pair of bars together. 1,160,212 11/1915 Symons 269/l24 X 1,765,235 6/1930 Keffer 269/123 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 51914 SHiEI 2 OF 3 FJG.4

FIG. .5

COLUMN FORM AND CLAMP ASSEMBLY This application is a division of application Ser. No. 145,333 filed May 20, I971, now US. Pat. No. 3,724,801.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Numerous types of clamping devices have been developed for use with concrete forms. Healy, in US. Pat. No. 907,496, discloses a clamp for mold forms used in concrete columns. This clamp consists of rigid bars provided with apertures. Bolts fasten the bars to one another around the mold forms to hold the mold forms in generally rectangular relationship. This same general design was carried forward in US Pat. No. 1,566,377, No. 1,634,111, No.l,683,929 and No. 1,704,307. Each of these patents shows a clamping device having rigid bars pivotally joined to each other. The bars extend around a generally rectangular concrete form. Special locking structures are used to hold the bars in general rectangular relationship around the forms. These clamping devices have numerous separate members which are necessary for securing them in place. Also, the clamps do not provide a positive means for maintaining the square relationship of the forms. Knorr, in

U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,017, discloses a clamp having mating pairs of angle irons with the flange of one angle iron of each clamp being notched for receiving the notched angle iron of a companion clamp. These members must be disassembled to remove the clamp from the board. They do not provide pivoting and release structures which permit opening of the form after the concrete column has been poured.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention is broadly related to a clamp assembly for holding a structure in a predetermined position. The clamp assembly functions in combination with a concrete column form used in making a concrete column. The'form has two relatively movable sections that are attached to the clamp assembly. The clamp assembly comprises two right angle units that are pivotally attached to each other at one end and are releasably connected at the other end to form a generally rectangular clamp that is disposed about the form. The clamp assembly can be disassembled to permit the forms to move to an open position, whereby the form and clamp assembly can be removed as a unit from the concrete column. Each unit has a corner bracket means to connect separate bar means of the unit in a fixed right angle relationship relative to each other. The bracket means comprises a boxlike structure having a first passage for receiving one of the bars of the clamp and a second passage disposed normally to the first passage for receiving the other bar of the unit. Nut and bolt assemblies are used to releasably attach the bracket to both of the bars. The bars of each unit are generally U- shaped in cross section and are generally U-shaped or channel members having inwardly directed flanges linearally along the open ends of the members.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a concrete column form and clamp assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rigid right angle corner bracket of the clamp assembly;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the releasable locking structure of the clamp assembly;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the open clamp assembly and the stripping of the form from a concrete column.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a generally upright concrete column form indicated generally at 10 surrounding a space 11 having a generally rectangular horizontal area. The space 11 is adapted to receive concrete and reinforcing bars to provide a generally upright concrete column. The form 10 comprises four panels or sheathings 12, 13, 14 and 16 secured to a plurality of upright supports 17, as wood 2 X 6s or the like. The form 10 is attached with fasteners (not shown) to a plurality of vertically spaced clamp assemblies indicated generally at 18, 18A and 18B which function to hold the form in its closed position as shown in FIG. 2. The panels are mounted on the clamp assemblies in pairs so that each form has two sections or parts that can move relative to each other. The side members of the clamp assemblies 18, 18A and 18B are reinforced with first generally upright pair of beams 19 and second pair of upright beams 21. Fasteners 22 are used to connect the beams to the adjacent supports 17 of the form. Some of the fasteners 22, as the top fastener, can be elongated bolts or rods that extend through or over the column, thereby functioning as clamps forcing the beams 19 and 21 toward each other. Additional reinforcing beams can be used with the opposite portions of the collars. Also, additional reinforcing beams can be used on the same portions of the clamp assemblies.

The following description is limited to clamp assembly l8. Clamp assemblies 18A and 18B are identical with the clamp assembly 18. Additional clamp assemblies can be used with form 10. In general, as the length of the form increases, the number of clamp assemblies used on the form increases.

As shown in FIG. 2, clamp assembly 18 comprises a pair of side bars 23 and 24 connected with end bars 26 and 27. The adjacent ends of bars 23 and 27 are pivotally connected with a generally upright pivot member 28, as a bolt or pin. Bars 24 and 27 are held in a fixed right angle relationship with a corner member 29. In a similar manner, bars 23 and 26 are held in fixed right angular relationship by a corner member 31. Corner members 29 and 31- permit longitudinal adjustment to both of the bars relative to their respective corner members. This allows the clamp assembly to be used with various column sizes. The corner members 29 and 31 are identical in structure. The following description is limited to comer member 29, shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bar 24 has a generally U-shaped configuration having parallel sides 32 and 33 joined together with a back 34. The open side of the bar has inwardly directed lips or flanges 35 and 36. This structure is generally known as a Unistrut bar. Bars 23, 26 and 27 are of identical shape.

Comer member 29 has a generally fiat top 37 and flat bottom 38. The edges of the top and bottom are joined with generally flat sides 39, 41, 42 and 43. This structure forms a generally boxor cube-shaped unit having normally disposed walls. Corner member 29 has a first passage or opening 44 extended through the walls 39 and 41 to accommodate with a close sliding fit the side bar 24. A second opening 46 positioned at right angles with respect to the first opening extends through the walls 39 and 41. The openings 44 and 46 are of a size and shape to receive a bar with a close sliding fit so that the inner walls of the corner member hold the bars in normal relationship to each other.

A first pair of fasteners 47 and 48 function to releasably hold corner member 29 in a fixed assembled relation with the bar 24. A second pair of fasteners 49 and 51 function to hold the bar 27 in assembled relation with corner member 29. FIG. 4 shows fastener 48 as comprising a bolt 52 threaded into a nut 53 located within the channel of bar 24. The nut 53 has lateral ribs 54 which fit under the flanges or lips 34 and 36, thereby holding the nut from turning. The bolt 52 extends through ahole 56 in the wall 39 so that the bolt 52 functions to clamp the bar 24 to corner member 29. Fasteners 47, 49 and 51 are identical in structure and function as the fastener 48.

As shown in FIGS. and 6, bars 24 and 26 are releasably joined with a quick release or lock mechanism indicated generally at 57. The mechanism 57 is at the corner of the clamp assembly that is located diagonally from pivot member 28. Lock mechanism 57 comprises an offset bracket 58 secured by means of a weld to the top of bar 26. Bracket 58 has a generally upright back 59 and a forwardly directed top flange 61. As shown in FIG. 6, when the bar 24 is in assembled relation with respect to bracket 58, the top flange 61 is located over and in close proximity to the top of bar 24. The back 59 of the bracket 58 has a hole 62 axially aligned with a nut 63 welded to the back.

Disposed along the open side of the bar 24 is a plate 64 having a hole for a fastening bolt 66. Bolt 66, extended through a hole in the base of bar 24, is threaded into the nut 63 to clamp bar 24 to bracket 58. The bolt 66 extends through a friction or resilient washer 67. The washer 67 is rectangular in shape and is located in frictional engagement with the sides of bar 24 to prevent the bolt 66 from falling out of the bar 24 when it is detached from nut 63.

Plate 64 is adjustably mounted on bar 24 with fastener 68. Fastener 68 comprises a bolt that extends through a suitable hole in plate 64 into the space between the sides of bar 24. The bolt is threaded into a nut 69 that is prevented from turning by the lips of the bar. The nut 69 is identical in shape and structure to nut 53.

The form is constructed of a size and length as required by the specification of the concrete column. The length as well as the width of each clamp assembly are readily adjusted by releasing the fasteners 47, 48, 49 and 51, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This permits the bars to be moved relative to the corner members. The releasable lock mechanism 57 is adjusted relative to bar 24 by releasing fastening member 68. The plate 64 is moved to a position wherein bolt 66 is aligned with a hole in the base of bar 24 so that bolt 66 can be moved through the base and into the nut mounted on bracket 58. The well adjusted clamp assemblies 18, 18A and MB are then placed around the form and secured to the form panels with fasteners (not shown) as nuts, bolts, screws and the like, at spaced intervals to provide the necessary reinforcement for the panels. The reinforcing beams, as beams 19 and 21, are then mounted on the clamp assemblies and panels to provide additional reinforcement, if required. The form is closed and held in the closed position with locking mechanism 57 on each clamp assembly. Bolt 66 is threaded into nut 63 to firmly hold the clamp assembly about the form.

After the concrete has been poured into the space 1 1 of form 10 and the concrete is set, form 10 can be removed from the column 71, as shown in FIG. 7, without disassembling the form or removing the clamp assemblies from the panels. The releasable locking mechanisms 57 are disengaged by merely removing a single bolt 66 from its associated nut 63. The resilient friction washer 67 holds the bolt in assembled relation with the bar 24. With the locking mechanisms 57 released, the form and clamp assemblies can be swung open away from the concrete column. The form is then cleaned and oiled, making it ready for use with another column. The form is closed by merely swinging the form along with the clamp assemblies back to its closed position. The form is locked in the closed position by attaching bolt 66 to nut 63.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is understood that various changes and substitutions can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is defined in the following claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A comer assembly to hold a concrete column form in a closed position comprising: a first bar means and a second bar means located generally normal to the first bar means corner means attachable to the first bar means and second bar means to fix said first and second bar means in an angular relationship relative to each other, said corner means comprising a unit having a first side wall means including a first passage for receiving a first bar means and a second side wall means including a second passage disposed at an angle with respect to the first passage for receiving the second bar means, and clamp means releasably securing the unit to both bar means to fix the angular relationship between said bar means, said clamp means having a first portion located on the first side wall means vertically adjacent the first passage to secure the second bar means, and a second portion located on the second side wall means vertically adjacent the second passage to secure the first bar means, said clamp means comprising nut and bolt assemblies having nuts disposed within the bar means and bolts cooperating with the clamp means and threaded into the nuts to hold the bar means and corner means in a selected adjusted position.

2. The corner assembly of claim 1 wherein: said corner means is a cube-shaped unit having a top wall and a bottom wall joined to the first side wall means and the second side wall means.

3. The corner assembly of claim 1 wherein: the first and second passages are laterally spaced from each other and are normally disposed relative to each other.

4. A corner assembly to hold a concrete column form in a closed position comprising: a first bar means and a second bar means located generally normal to the passage disposed at an angle with respect to the first passage for receiving the second bar means, and means releasably securing the unit to both bar means to fix the angular relationship between said bar means comprising separate nut and bolt assemblies, each assembly having a nut disposed within the generally U-shaped member and having ribs which cooperate with the in wardly turned lips to prevent rotation of the nut. 

1. A corner assembly to hold a concrete column form in a closed position comprising: a first bar means and a second bar means located generally normal to the first bar means corner means attachable to the first bar means and second bar means to fix said first and second bar means in an angular relationship relative to each other, said corner means comprising a unit having a first side wall means including a first passage for receiving a first bar means and a second side wall means including a second passage disposed at an angle with respect to the first passage for receiving the second bar means, and clamp means releasably securing the unit to both bar means to fix the angular relationship between said bar means, said clamp means having a first portion located on the first side wall means vertically adjacent the first passage to secure the second bar means, and a second portion located on the second side wall means vertically adjacent the second passage to secure the first bar means, said clamp means comprising nut and bolt assemblies having nuts disposed within the bar means and bolts cooperating with the clamp means and threaded into the nuts to hold the bar means and corner means in a selected adjusted position.
 2. The corner assembly of claim 1 wherein: said corner means is a cube-shaped unit having a top wall and a bottom wall joined to the first side wall means and the second side wall means.
 3. The corner assembly of claim 1 wherein: the first and second passages are laterally spaced from each other and are normally disposed relative to each other.
 4. A corner assembly to hold a concrete column form in a closed position comprising: a first bar means and a second bar means located generally normal to the first bar means, each of said bar means being an elongated generally U-shaped member having inwardly turned lips along the open sides thereof, corner means attachable to the first bar means and second bar means to fix said first and second bar means in angular relationship relative to each other, said corner means comprising a cube-shaped unit having a first side wall means including a first passage for receiving a first bar means and a second side wall means including a second passage disposed at an angle with respect to the first passage for receiving the second bar means, and means releasably securing the unit to both bar means to fix the angular relationship between said bar means comprising separate nut and bolt assemblies, each assembly having a nut disposed within the generally U-shaped member and having ribs which cooperate with the inwardly turned lips to prevent rotation of the nut. 